Juan Pablo Montoya was the WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race in the August 8 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, leading four times for 74 laps. Montoya how now led six times in eight races for a total of 83 laps. In 2010, Montoya has led at least one lap in 13 of 22 races. He has now led 34 times in 131 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for a total of 813 laps.
· Montoya won today’s race, beating Kurt Busch to the checkered flag by 4.735 seconds. The victory was his second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and both wins have been on road courses (he captured the 2007 Toyota Save Mart 350 at Infineon (Sonoma, Calif.) Raceway.< SPAN style=”mso-spacerun: yes”> His victory today at Watkins Glen breaks a 113-race winless streak.
· UNOFFICIALLY Denny Hamlin leads Kyle Busch by one race (5-4) in the overall WIX Filters Lap Leader standings.
· DID YOU KNOW? The driver leading the most laps has now won 20 of 28 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International and finished in the top-five 23 times.
· Only Tony Stewart (83 laps in 2005) and Mark Martin (75 laps in 1994) have led more laps in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen than Montoya this afternoon.
· DID YOU KNOW? A different driver has led the most laps in each of the past five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen.
Drivers that have led the most laps at Watkins Glen International (28 races):
1957: Buck Baker, 44 laps, FIRST
1964: Billy Wade, 41 laps, FIRST
1965: Marvin Panch, 53 laps, FIRST
1986: Geoffrey Bodine, 32 laps, 19th
1987: Rusty Wallace, 63 laps, FIRST
1988: Bill Elliott, 19 laps, third
1989: Morgan Shepherd, 22 laps, sixth
1990: Rusty Wallace, 28 laps, 34th
1991: Ernie Irvan, 39 laps, FIRST
1992: Kyle Petty, 19 laps, FIRST
1993: Mark Martin, 47 laps, FIRST
1994: Mark Martin, 75 laps, FIRST
1995: Mark Martin, 61 laps, FIRST
1996: Dale Earnhardt, 54 laps, sixth
1997: Jeff Gordon, 32 laps, FIRST
1998: Jeff Gordon, 55 laps, FIRST
1999: Jeff Gordon, 55 laps, FIRST
2000: Steve Park, 53 laps, FIRST
2001: Jeff Burton, 30 laps, second
2002: Tony Stewart, 34 laps, FIRST
2003: Robby Gordon, 30 laps, FIRST
2004: Tony Stewart, 46 laps, FIRST
2005: Tony Stewart, 83 laps, FIRST
2006: Kurt Busch, 38 laps, 19th
2007: Jeff Gordon, 51 laps, ninth
2008: Kyle Busch, 52 laps, FIRST
2009: Tony Stewart, 34 laps, FIRST
2010: Juan Pablo Montoya, 74 laps, FIRST
· MONTOYA QUOTES: “I think it’s nice. We executed right and I think we did what we had to all day and we run really smart. Yesterday we had a good talk with Chip [Gan assi, car owner]. The last few weeks have been really frustrating for the whole team because we’ve been so close to victory and it seemed to keep slipping away. And to come out here today and get the job done the way we did today, it was big. To tell you the truth I feel more relieved than happy right now. It’s been a really hard road. It’s a been a lot of fun. It’s been frustrating and everything but to finally get that first win for Brian [Pattie, crew chief] I think is good. I think we can really focus on just getting the job done.”
WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD STANDINGS
Denny Hamlin 5
Kyle Busch 4
Kevin Harvick 3
Juan Pablo Montoya 3
Jeff Burton 2
Tony Stewart 2
Kevin Harvick 1
Marcos Ambrose 1
Jamie McMurray 1
WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD WINNERS BY RACE
EVENT DRIVER
Daytona 500 Kevin Harvick, 41 laps
Auto Club 500 Jeff Burton, 46 laps
Shelby American Tony Stewart, seven laps
Kobalt Tools 500 Kasey Kahne, 144 laps
Food City 500 Juan Pablo Montoya, 29 laps
Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Denny Hamlin, 172 laps
Subway Fresh Fit 600 Kyle Busch, 113 laps
Samsung Mobile 500 Tony Stewart, 74 laps
Aaron’s 499 Jeff Burton, 28 laps
Crown Royal 400 Kyle Busch, 226 laps
SHOWTIME Southern 500 Denny Hamlin, 104 laps
Autism Speaks 400 Kyle Busch, 131 laps
Coca-Cola 600 Kyle Busch, 36 laps
Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Denny Hamlin, 88 laps
Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Denny Hamlin, 123 laps
Toyota/Save Mart 350 Marcos Ambrose, 35 laps
LENOX Industrial Tools 301 Kasey Kahne, 110 laps
Coke Zero 400 Kevin Harvick, 28 laps
LifeLock.com 400 Jamie McMurray, 72 laps
Brickyard 400 Juan Pablo Montoya, 86 laps
Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 Denny Hamlin, 19 laps
Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen Juan Pablo Montoya, 74 laps